


Ace

by mystified_mint



Category: Dangan Ronpa - All Media Types, New Dangan Ronpa V3: Everyone's New Semester of Killing
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Dogs, Drunk!Kokichi (briefly), Fluff, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-25
Updated: 2018-06-25
Packaged: 2019-05-28 07:12:41
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 924
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15043514
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mystified_mint/pseuds/mystified_mint
Summary: In which Kaito and Kokichi bond over a dog.





	Ace

Kokichi stared.

The cheerful cloud in front of him stared back.

 _"This_ is your dog?" he asked incredulously.

"Yeah?" Kaito raised an eyebrow. "What about it?"

"Doesn't walking around with a giant marshmallow hurt your manly pride?" Kokichi raised a finger to his lips. "Well, it's not like people believed you were manly anyway, so I guess it's no big deal!"

"Hey! You take that back! Ace is a super loyal dog, and there's nothing manlier than that! Attitude matters way more than appearance!"

Kokichi's eyes flickered from Kaito to the oversized cotton ball at his feet. White as snow and incredibly well groomed, the sheer volume of its fur was frankly impressive. From the angle he was standing at, he could barely spot its tiny puff of a tail, wagging happily behind like a high-speed metronome. It looked up at him with sparkling eyes, and Kokichi couldn't bring himself to look away.

"Do you… wanna pet him?" Kaito eventually asked, making Kokichi realize he'd been staring for more than a few seconds.

"…Can I?"

To his surprise, Kaito nodded, encouraging him to squat down and do just that. The moment his palm met that bouncy white fluff, a soft smile stretched across his face.

Watching the innocent interaction, Kaito couldn't help but smile, too.

 

* * *

 

"Neeheehee… He totally likes me more than you!" Kokichi giggled as he nuzzled his face against Ace's fur.

"Hey, he cuddles with me, too! You just won't let go of him!" Kaito protested, though it was hard to feel annoyed whenever Kokichi was being cu- 

Kaito immediately shook his head, dismissing the thought for a later time. He was sure he'd have to face it eventually, especially given the growing frequency of such moments, but that didn't mean he wouldn't put it off while he still could. He and Kokichi had just recently become friends, if even that. There was no need to complicate things so soon.

"Please, it's obvious Ace belongs with me. We're even matching already!" Kokichi gestured at his white clothes. Then, fueled by a sudden burst of inspiration, he removed his scarf and tied it around Ace's neck. "See, doesn't that look like it was meant for him?"

Kaito glanced at Ace, who seemed perfectly content with his new accessory, then at Kokichi, who wore delighted grin. 

His earlier thought resurfaced, echoing louder than ever before.

 

* * *

 

"Why did you get a dog like this anyway?" Kokichi questioned. "Say what you want about attitude being all that matters, but was this puffball really your first choice?"  

"My grandparents got him to keep me company when I found my own place," Kaito finally explained. "I always said I wanted a dog when I was a kid. Ace definitely wasn't what I expected, but what kinda person could say no to that face?"

Noticing that he was the center of attention, Ace stuck his tongue out, panting adorably.

"True," Kokichi conceded.

"What about you? You get along with Ace pretty well, so did you have or want any pets when you were younger?"

"No."

Kaito waited for Kokichi to elaborate, only to realize he had no intention of doing so. Kaito wouldn't find out why until a random night several weeks later.

 

* * *

 

"I lieeed," Kokichi slurred after one too many drinks. 

"Of course you did," Kaito grumbled back sleepily. "What about this time?"

"I wan'ed a pet but couldn' have one in the orphanage, an' I couldn' raise one out on the streets later cuz duuuuh..."

 Kaito blinked, regaining some awareness as he processed the drunken confession.

"Wait, you're an orphan? And you lived on the streets at some point?"

"Mmmm... You were'n s'posed t'know that..." Kokichi's eyes watered as he glared at his glass. "Should'n have done thisss."

Kaito reached out to pat him on the head.

"Don't worry. It'll be a secret between the two of us," he reassured. Then a tiny snore from the couch reminded him they weren't alone. "Make that the three of us." 

Kokichi sniffled, murmuring his acceptance. When he curled up on the couch a few minutes later, holding Ace in his arms like a pillow, Kaito barely resisted the urge to "aww" out loud. 

Kaito didn't, however, resist the urge to save a picture.

 

* * *

 

"Kichi, why do you hang out with me?" Kaito asked one day while Ace slept in his lap.

"I'm using you for your dog, obviously," Kokichi answered, eyes trained downwards as he gently pet Ace on the back. "Were you hoping for a different reason?"

"No, of course not," Kaito sighed. He nearly jolted when Kokichi suddenly looked up, locking eyes with him. It was only then that he realized just how close they were sitting.

"Oh, you sound disappointed. Were you hoping for something a bit more...  _romantic?"_

Kaito's face instantly turned red.

"So, that's it, huh?" Kokichi's eyes gleamed. "Then I guess you won't mind if I just…" He leaned in, slowly closing the distance between them until-

"AH!" Kokichi yelped when a familiar bundle of fluff suddenly launched itself at him, littering his face with affectionate licks. "Mmmph! No! This isn't the kiss I wanted!"

Kaito froze for a second, shocked, then burst out laughing.

"I guess Ace really does like you more!" he snickered. "It almost makes me jealous."

Once Kokichi had been thoroughly overwhelmed by doggie kisses, Kaito finally pulled Ace off of him. Kokichi wiped his face against his scarf, pouting, only to squeak when Kaito's lips met his right after. 

"Hopefully, we won't have to compete for your attention."

**Author's Note:**

> I've wanted to write this ever since I saw two tweets back-to-back. [The first](https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/372166298735607823/452323343341846529/Den50DKXcAAv5VY.png) had pictures of a super fluffy white dog, and [the second](https://twitter.com/yosumi_rp3/status/1002136230757187589) was fanart of Kokichi snuggling a dog. Then I threw Kaito into the mix just because I could.
> 
> Feel free to let me know what you think!


End file.
